Collapsable travel tray

ABSTRACT

A fold-up platform, which can function as a tray table, is mounted to the back of the front seat in any transportation vehicle and is self-suspending. The portable unit is suspended by first being attached to each support post of the front seat head rest and then hooked to the bottom of the seat frame at a point above the seat adjustment tracts on both the left and the right side with hooks attached to straps which are then pulled snug on the back of a seat by using tension devices on the straps. The mounting straps are reinforced with a mounting skeleton frame along the straps with fabric stitched to the frame and straps to keep the structure from twisting. The tray platform is made in two pieces so that it can be folded and then rotated into its storage position when not in use. The platform tray is made in two pieces by using a stiff flat material that is then covered with a soft padding material and enclosed in fabric. The two pieces are then hinged and fastened together along one edge to form the tray that is stiff and strong when in use yet collapsible under strong forces. This unit is then attached to the skeleton frame and support straps along one edge so as to be able to rotate to a horizontal or vertical position. One end of flexible material is then attached to the right of the tray at a position where the two stiff pieces of the tray meet. The other end of the material is attached to the frame and strapping above the tray and on the top edge of the frame in such a manner as to suspend and support the tray in a horizontal position. The same suspension is found on the left side. The tray can then be stored by folding the front stiff portion of the tray forward and down over the back stiff portion of the tray and then rotating the folded tray to a vertical position where it is attached to the frame with a locking device. When in the this position the tray is stored out of the way for easy access to the rear seats, when unclipped and folded out and down the tray is available for platform use while the two piece design makes it easily collapsible in an emergency situation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a collapsible travel tray and portable workstation for use in any transportation vehicle, where the user would need a safe and secure place to support food, books, computers, or other devices and objects while traveling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous prior art devices have been proposed for different tray devices for use in automobiles. Some are designed to act with child seats while others have cumbersome support systems.

Prior art devices have not proposed safety enhancements for the user, or a device of this nature, nor have most taken into account the flexibility needed for a changing technological world.

The object of this invention is to provide a travel tray that will collapse on impact so as to help minimize possible injury.

The object of this invention is to provide not just a tray for meals, entertainment, and activities, but also one that will support technology advances and workstation demands of the traveling professional, providing a design that is flexible for many uses and many users.

The object of this invention is to provide a lightweight and portable travel tray that is both easy to install and uninstall and aesthetically pleasing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a travel tray for use in private transportation vehicles as well as public transportation vehicles, the present invention has several unique qualities and features. In the primary design the top of the support frame is mounted on the back of a vehicle seat by attaching the suspension hooks to the headrest, then anchoring the strap hooks to the bottom of the seat and then pulling the two bottom straps tight and secure the loose ends. The tray can now be opened by releasing the locking clip and unfolding the tray. Depending on the vertical position of the seat to which the travel tray is attached, the suspension straps can be adjusted to position the tray in a horizontal plane.

This travel tray is designed primarily to support up to a 17″ notebook computer in addition to food, books, entertainment equipment, and many other items that a user would like to rest on a workstation while traveling. The tray is designed to support over 30 pounds.

Uniquely, this travel tray is not only collapsible but also folds into itself using a two point folding system and two-piece tray. In so doing, this design not only creates a smaller footprint when placed in its stored position and not in use, but also attempts to make it safer when in its functional open position. The folding tray, by having two flexible edges, is designed to bend and fold into the seat and give under impact situations, therefore helping to reduce the chance of injury.

This travel tray design uses a three point contact system for better support and stability of the tray while the vehicle is in motion. In addition to the anchor points for the suspension on the top of the frame and the anchor hooks at the bottom of the seat, an optional cylindrical tube is inserted along the bottom of the frame in order to insure that the bottom of the frame is in contact with the seat it is attached to for tray stability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, where as:

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a travel tray mounted to the back of a seat in a closed position

FIG. 2 is a drawing of a travel tray in an open position

FIG. 3 is a view of the two-piece folding tray platform

FIG. 4 is a view of an anchoring hook with tension design

FIG. 5 is a picture of the preferred design travel tray mounted to an automobile seat in a closed position.

FIG. 6 is a picture of the preferred design travel tray mounted to an automobile seat in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 the frame shell is made of fabric material, which is used to enclose and hold the frame, a rectangular piece of stiff material like heavy cardboard, wood, or molded plastic. The frame is first covered with a padding material like foam, bubble-wrap, or cotton fiber. The fabric material is then used to cover the frame and padding in order to form a stiff and strong base, which will resist stress and torque while the tray is in use.

To this frame the support straps in FIG. 1 are now attached to the backside of the frame. Any strong flexible material can be used, but 1 inch nylon strapping is preferred. A loop is created at the top of the strap and also firmly attached to the frame. The support hooks shown in FIG. 1 can now be attached to the top of the straps through the loops that were just created.

On the bottom ends of the straps two pieces of Velcro® are attached. A piece of Velcro hook material about 4-5 inches in length is attached to the very end of the strap. Approximately 8 inches from the end of the Velcro hook, a piece of Velcro loops material 6-7 inches long is attached. The Velcro is used to secure the ends of the strapping once the travel tray has been installed on a seat.

The straps are now fitted with tension hooks, seen in FIG. 4, which will be used to anchor the travel tray to the bottom of the seat as seen in FIG. 1. The straps are weaved through the tension openings of the hook in such a way that the hook itself is in a z-plane relative to the frame in the x and y plane with the hook facing toward the back of the frame. The weaving is done by first passing the strapping material through the opening closest to the hook, from the back toward the front and then passing the strap through the top opening from the front of the hook toward the back. This is done in this way that the very end of the strap that has passed through the hook now ends up in front of the strap portion that extends down from the frame to the anchoring hook.

The planner surface of the tray, seen open and horizontal in FIG. 2 is made of two rectangular pieces of stiff material like heavy cardboard, wood, or molded plastic. The first piece is approximately 7-8 inches in depth, while the second piece is approximately 4-5 inches in depth. The larger piece is placed closer to the frame and the smaller piece is closest to the user when the tray is open as shown in FIG. 2. The two pieces are then hinged together with two small plastic hinges so as to form a single foldable unit approximately 11-13 inches from the frame to the front edge of the foldable tray.

The two rectangular pieces are cut in different sizes so that the tray will fold up and collapse under stress or accident conditions in order to help minimize possible injury. Secondly this design helps the unit store more effectively when not in use.

Once the tray has been assembled the two-piece surface can be covered with a single piece of padding material like foam, bubble-wrap, or cotton fiber. The single piece of padding helps to strengthen the tray and have it behave as a single piece when it is in use. A fabric material is then used to cover the two-piece tray and the padding to add stiffness and strength, which will help hold the collapsible tray and padding together while the tray is in use. The fabric covering will also help to maintain the quality and appearance of the travel tray while keeping the tray flexible.

On each side of the tray are attached pieces of flexible material or wide strapping. These pieces are attached to the tray where the two pieces of stiff material come together, as in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3. More of the fabric or strapping material is attached to the foldable 7-8 inch piece of the tray, that is the larger piece closest to the frame, since most of the weight from any heavy object will be carried here. The fabric or strapping still needs to be attached to the smaller piece as well to help support that part of the tray under heavier front edge loads.

On the top end of the fabric or strapping, FIG. 3, two pieces of Velcro are attached. A piece of Velcro hook material about 3 inches in length is attached to the very end of the strap or material. Approximately 3 inches from the end of the Velcro hook, a piece of Velcro loops material 3 inches long is attached. The strap or material is now passed through the opening in the top support hook, through the loop created for the hook in the support straps, or through a plastic or metal ring that has been slid over the hook loop just below where the top support hooks are attached. This material or strap can now be used to adjust the horizontal plane of the tray when in use by lengthening or shortening the strap or material through the loop. The Velcro is then secured loops to hooks to secure the tray in place once it is opened.

The travel tray is designed to accommodate people who need a safe and stable surface to work, play, or eat while traveling. The unique design delivers a smooth and strong surface, with a tray that can be adjusted for the vertical differences in the seat in front the user to maintain a horizontal surface.

The collapsible travel tray is designed to be easily installed, just attach the two support hooks to the headrest posts, secure the anchoring hooks to the bottom of the seat, and pull the straps upward until tight and squeeze the Velcro together.

Equally easy to remove by just separating the Velcro just above the anchoring hooks, push down on the top of the tension hooks, and disconnect the top support hooks from the headrest.

Safety concerns being a priority of this design, the collapsible aspect of this tray is a main feature. By using a two-piece design this tray is capable of collapsing into itself when a strong force is placed on the front edge of the tray. The tray and frame are also padded for more protection. The hinge used to connect the two pieces of the tray will come apart under duress, so the tray can actually collapse both upwardly and downwardly.

The travel tray is very stable under travel conditions because of the strap tension mounting system and the three point contact design. The travel tray has very little play in any planar direction.

Optional features like cup-holders, trash bags, penholders, or storage devices can easily be attached to the travel tray.

This invention has many uses and one size tends to fit people of all sizes. Children can use it to eat on, play games, color, draw, do homework or just entertain themselves. Adults can read, play, work, or set up a portable workstation with their notebooks computers while traveling. Uses in public transportation are the same. 

1. A travel tray suspended from the back side of a seat in a transportation vehicle using the support posts of the seat headrest and anchored to the bottom of the seat comprising: a top suspension support attaching to each of the support posts of the seat head-rest; a pair of bottom anchoring straps looped through tension eyelets of hooks and anchored to the bottom of the seat; an upper solid frame with the support straps attached to it; a flat tray comprised of two rigid pieces, one in front of the other, and joined to each other along one edge so to form a foldable planer surface; a pair of flexible supports that are attached to the edges of the tray at the point where the tray surface is foldable and the two rigid pieces come together and then attached to the frame and strap unit above the tray as to support a suspended cantilevering of the tray; a two piece clip device, where one half in attached to the bottom of the two-part tray that is closest to the seat, and the other half is attached to the top of the frame by the head rest; a horizontal collapsible stocking is located between the frame and back of the front seat where an optional spacer can be inserted; an adhesive material or Velcro material used to fasten loose ends of the support straps to each other; a padding material is applied to the frame and the tray beneath the fabric; a flexible fabric or material is used to cover the frame and the tray;
 2. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the top suspension support is a continuous strap of flexible or non-elastic material around the seat where no head rest posts exist;
 3. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the top suspension support is fitted with an adjustable tension device;
 4. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the top suspension support is fitted with a clips to attach to the top of the frame; a strap is attached to the frame with an opening on one end and is wrapped around the head rest post and fastened to the clip; an adjustable buckle tension device is attached to bottom anchoring strap just above a non-tension hook;
 5. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the frame and tray are not covered with flexible material or fabric;
 6. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the frame design is constructed with an upper horizontal support, lower horizontal support, and a middle support for the back edge of the tray, where all three are attached to two vertical supports on each end;
 7. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the frame design is constructed with one horizontal support at the top and one horizontal support at the bottom, with each support attached to one vertical support, forming an “I” beam frame;
 8. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the frame design is constructed with four supports arranged in such a way as to form a rhombus, where none of the members are either horizontal or vertical; a horizontal support attached to the left and right corners of the rhombus frame; a pair of straps from the top suspension posts are attached to each of the four sides of the rhombus frame in a semi vertical manner, in a somewhat “A” frame design;
 9. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein there is no frame; a pair of straps are attached directly to the head-rest support posts and anchored on the bottom similar to claim 1; a foldable tray is attached at the back edge, on the right and left side directly to each strap; a pair of cantilever straps attached to the right and left edge of the tray are attached to the straps above the tray and beneath the head-rest posts;
 10. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein there is no frame and one strap runs vertically down the middle of the back of the seat attached similar to claim 1; a foldable tray is attached at the back edge at it's center to the vertical strap; a pair of cantilever straps attached as in claim 9;
 11. The collapsible tray of claims 9 & 10 wherein the strap is made of fabric or other cloth material;
 12. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein the cantilever support straps are made of one triangular piece of flexible material attached along the right and left edges of the back piece of the tray and a second edge of the material is attached along the right and left vertical edges of the frame above the tray to the head-rest;
 13. The collapsible tray of claims 1-12 wherein the flexible cantilever supports have adjustable buckles attached between the ends attached to the tray and the ends attached to the frame;
 14. The collapsible tray of claim 1 wherein an adhesive material or Velcro is used to fasten the upper support to the head-rest; an adhesive material or Velcro material is used to fasten the bottom support to the seat; an adhesive material or Velcro material is used to fasten the tray to the frame; an adhesive material or Velcro material is used to fasten the tray in a closed upright position; an adhesive material or Velcro material is used as the cantilever supports or to adjust the length of the cantilever supports;
 15. The collapsible tray of claims 1-24 wherein the tray is composed of less than two or more than two foldable pieces;
 16. The collapsible tray of claims 1 wherein a storage pouch is attached to the frame above where the tray is attached; a storage pouch is attached to the frame below the where the tray is attached; a storage pouch is attached to the bottom of the front piece of the collapsible tray; a collapsible net cup-holder is attached to a side of the tray; a cup-holder is attached to the back piece of the tray; the top surface of the tray is made of a non-slip surface material; the frame and tray have loops attached; a flexible and adjustable bag, net, organizer, or storage container is attach by means of a clip, Velcro or adhesive device to the loops;
 17. The collapsible tray of claims 1 wherein the top of the tray has a raised edge;
 18. The collapsible tray of claims 1 wherein a tray cover is attached to the top of the frame so that it could be rolled down over the tray and fastened to the bottom edge of the tray at the frame; a flexible and adjustable bag, net, organizer, or storage container attached to the outside of the tray cover;
 19. The collapsible tray of claims 1 wherein the frame on each side above the bottom edge of the tray is a slotted track; a support is formed in the bottom of the track to support the tray in a down position; a back edge of the tray slides up the track on each side, as the tray is folded into its storage position;
 20. The collapsible tray of claims 1 wherein the back edge of the tray is fastened directly to the back of the front seat; a pair of flexible supports that are attached at one end to the tray at the point where the tray surface is foldable and then attached at the other end to the head-rest support posts; 